U.S. Olympic boxer Terrell Gausha refuses to wear U.S. flag after George Zimmerman acquittal

Terrell Gausha of the U.S. reacts after defeating Armenia's Andranik Hakobyan in the Men's Middle (75kg) Round of 32 Bout 8 boxing match at ExCeL venue during the London 2012 Olympic Games July 28, 2012. (REUTERS)

QMI Agency

The controversial acquittal of George Zimmerman, 28, on Saturday hit U.S. Olympic boxer Terrell Gausha like a “slap in the face.”

Now, the 25-year-old Gausha, who competed at the London Olympics for the Stars and Stripes last summer, says he’s no longer proud to wear the colours of a "nation with so much racism and hatred."

"How can I wear my stars and stripes proudly in a country where they make a big deal out of (Philadelphia Eagles quarterback) Mike Vick fighting dogs but not a young, innocent black male's life,” Gausha told TMZ.com.

"When I represented my country in the Olympics I was proud to wear my flag. I even wore it on my head on the way to the ring. What happened this weekend was a slap in the face."

Gausha didn’t medal at the 2012 Games after falling to India’s Vijender Singh in a pre-quarterfinal bout in London.

Following the Zimmerman trial, a race-fuelled case that garnered international attention, Gausha tweeted he’ll no longer don the American flag as a result of the not guilty verdict handed down in the death of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American in Florida who prosecutors alleged was targeted and fatally shot as he walked through Zimmerman’s gated community.

“After this fight I will no longer wear Stars and Stripes on my uniform,” Gausha tweeted. “That's over with.”